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The United States declared war on Germany in early April, 1917, three years after the start of the World War in Europe. By then, at least 11 Greenfield-area men had left to serve in other armies. Greenfield, like most of the country, reacted enthusiastically. To handle the rush of new recruits a temporary training camp was built at Franklin Park (which no longer exists), in July, 1917. It only lasted seven weeks before the troops were moved to Westfield.

This picture probably shows one of the first days of that encampment. The soldiers are eating a meal, and evidence of the camp's newness is everywhere: the grass is barely trampled, the tents have been hastily put up, cows graze peacefully just beside them, and an untidy pile of just-split wood litters the foreground. Behind the lean-to, curious women from the town are shyly inspecting the new soldiers. It was probably just a few days later that the camp assumed a more military appearance.

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